Improvement in iwaiter-supply regulator for water-works



`parts of the', same-shown in section.

piensan HOLLLQF LooKroennnt/v YORK.

`flllll PRO-VEMENT llN iWATgERr-SUPPLY LREGU LfATOR F.R WATER-WORKS.

Specification formiiigpart of Letters Patent No.` 87,41 dated March 2, 1869.

'To all` whom it may concern:-

ABe .it iknown that I, lBmDsI-LL HOLLY, ofi -Lockporu-in the county .ofNiagara andV State lof New York, .have invented `a `lneW, and Im-I proved Vater-Supply .Regulator for Water-l `lowing is afull, clear, andexact descriptionj thereof, which willI` enablethose skilled in :thefy artto make and use thesame,.referencebeing. .had to the accompanying drawings `forming part oi this speciiication, in WhichiFigure l .is ,ia front elevation otrmy invenation.` iFig. 2 is Ha .detailed section, showing a` modiicationof thepiston-chamber. 4Eig. fis

asecondmodication..ofgthe piston-chamber. Fig. Llis arear elevation of 1the invention, a reverse View of Fig. .1, and 1 having the` gate- .;.operating .mechanism removed, toexhibit more lclearly the :moreximportant .features vof the apparatus.` Fig. 5 is adetailfront elevation frthe gate-operating nlechanismywith certain Fig- 6 @shows a detail top lviewer" .the Wiper `-for set- `.Similar lettersof reference indicate correspondin g parts.

.The` object of this invention `.is to .provide an effective andreliable .meansfor governing` r or regulatingthe supply; of Water in the streetmains lof `town `.Water-lWorks. It is designed more 1particu]arlyffor ithose towns andfcities Where there iis no .natural iheadto give the requisite ipressure for carryingithe,Waterinto the upper storiesof the buildings,. and ,Where 1 thewater is forced into the street-mains by water orsteam power pumps, rbntfis also applicable. solely asa reqapparatusinany city,

1 whether supplied rwith .artificial .Water-.Works oriotherwise. lts office, A.more .particularly `expressed, is: to..regulate.the.admission, of water t A.upon any suitablelthrottle valve or valves in a simlarlmanner to that bywhich itoperates .theWat-er-gates.

,In lthose itownsor citieswhich are-unprovided with a natural head vof-Water of suita- .ble height,the proper .pressure to force the water into the stree mainsiand upper parts .setting ,in motion of other auxiliary chamber is affixed. This chamber is provided l of buildings .'lnustlbe obtained by articial power, as steam or Water power ,andfor this purpose steam-engines or turbines `arecom- ,monly used `to drive any `suitable `forcing- .pumps, as rotary or reciprocating pumps. 11Works; and I do 3 hereby declare thatthefolf A set of such pumps .are kept constantly ,running to maintain a constant supplyinthe .pipes iordomestic and other ordinary purposes; `but ,when from any cause, as that kof Afire, a larger supply andincreased pressure are required, additional pumps must be put into operation, or those already Working must be driven with greater velocity, and l:it `is the .oiice of ,my inventionto accomplish automatically,the regulation of the supplyandpressurewvhenoecasion arises. for such regulation. AFor this purpose the pressure of lthe Water .(in `the :street-mains and the accessorypipe connecting them IWiththe apparat-us) is made use of y, as ameans of communicating Withthe regulator and setting it in motion, afterwhich itperforlns its regulating functions automatically, as Will be shown. #ring` the auxiliary gatemechanism in operation;

,Figure 1 is `a front elevation of the apparatus y complete.

AB C are vertical pipes, and D a horizontalpipecommunicating Withthem. The pipes Afand C receive the Water from the rotary .pumpsA GWhich aredriven by theturbines A4 G". (Shown in `red color.) The pipe D rleads t0,. some main pipe, from whence the street-mainsibranch oif and.ramitythroughout vthetown;orcity. ,iE is asluicewayor Waterway, havinggates 1E E, .which admit Water tothe turbinesl drivin gy the pumps.

`As the gates are opened or closed, .so `will :thespeed oi' the turbines and pumps-be` accel- .erated or retarded, and the quantity-0f water 4:forced into `the pipes, 4and the `consequent .pressure ofthe same, be Vincreased or dimin- .ished.

The ordinarypressure for domestic purposes andgother daily uses will =be, `in most cases, `about forty pounds per square inch, and this. pressure may be `kept upby driving a sufcient number of pumps at a slow rate of speed; ,butshould a fire break out, greater pressure ,andv quantityoi'water will be required for the `time in the street-mains, and the increaseof the speed of the pumps then running, lor the pumps, will be accomplished by theregulator.

vF is a bed-plate, having uprights F F and cross-plate F, upon .which latter a pistonwith a piston, H, the rod lof which passes up through the top or dome of the chamber, as shown. Above the dome the piston-rod bears two cross-heads, J and K. From the crosshead K an equal number of weights, L L L L", Src., are suspended, in such a manner that when the piston rises the weights will not be raised at once, but successively, so that the impulse which raises them will be expended in a succession of resistances, thereby preventing the piston from rising with a sudden jerk or jump. The cross-head J is a means by which the piston is connected with the mech- `anism which is dependent upon it for action,

and will be hereinafter duly explained. M is a water-gage, having a radial valve, a, within a circular chamber, which chamber connects with the piston-chamber, below the piston of the same, by a pipe, b, and with any one of the pipes A B D, 85e., by a pipe, c, and is further provided with a waste-water pipe, e. The radial valve a is on a shaft, which is connected with the cross-head J, and the valve is placed in such relation with the orifices of the pipes c and e that, as the piston rises, the valve will be moved, so as to offer less obstruction to the water passing` through its chamber, and when the piston falls the valve will be also moved to a position where the passage of the water through the chamber will be more obstructed. The object of this arrangement is to maintain a constant and uniform pressure in the pistonchamber, (except during the moments of the change in such pressure,) irrespective of the pressure in the pipe D and its connections. The valve a is, therefore, arranged to partially obstruct the water entering and leaving `the chamber through the pipes c and e, respectively, and the water, being so obstructed, will be forced into the piston-chamber, and exert an upward pressure on the piston H.

Now, if for any cause the pressure within the pipe D should be raised, the same pressure will exist in the pipe c, and will be consequently felt by the piston, raising the same, and lifting its weights from the cross-plate on which they rest 5 but the movement of the piston causes the valve in the chamber M to open or make a wider aperture for the egress ofthe water passing through the chamber, so that notwithstanding the pressure has been raised in the pipe D, the pressure in the piston-chamber remains constant.

To illustrate it with definite pressures: Suppose that there is a pressure of forty pounds per square inch in the pipes A B C D, and in all the street-mains, and that suddenly .the pressure in said pipes is increased to one hundred and fifty pounds per square inch, this latter pressure will be felt in the pipe c and in the piston-chamber, causing the piston to rise a short distance, and in doing so the radial valve is ope-ned, and a greater egress for the water provided, so that the greater pressure is compensated by a greater discharge,

- and-the pressure within the valve-chamber and piston-chamber kept a constant quantity. y

The weights L L' L &c., are provided with reference-to the constant pressure to be mailitained in the piston-chamber, and the aggregate force of these weights just balances the pressure against the piston, or rather will slightly exceed that pressure, so that the two external weights will rest lightly on the cross- -plate, thus leaving the piston free to respond to the slightest increase or decrease of pressure in its chamber.

I will now describe the mechanism which is set in motion by the piston to regulate the supply of water to the turbines. N is a drum on a shaft, which is continually turning it, being driven by the power which keeps up the ordinary supply of water in the pipes. This shaft is provided with a pulley, O, or other means for rotating it, the belt or other means connecting with any one ofthe turbines which is constantly running. The drum N bears two belts, P P, which latter run on loose pulleys P P" on each side of the fast pulleyQ on the shaft Q. The belt P is crossed, so as to drive the fast pulley Q in a different direction from the straight belt-P for the shifter R, which changes the belts from the loose to the fast pulleys, is movable in two directions, and in whichever direction it may be moved one of the belts will be shifted to the fast pulley Q, and the shaft Q revolved in one or the other direction.

The shifter is merely a bar sliding in suitable guides, and provided with loops encircling the belts, to shift them to or from the fast pulley. This shifter is operated by means ofa stud on the shaft to which the arm h is affixed. This stud is shown dotted at g, and works loosely in a hole in the shifter, so that when the arm h is moved by the rod j, which connects it with the cross-head J of the piston-rod, the shifter will be also moved to shift the belts to or from the fast pulley Q. One of the two belts will, therefore, be shifted onto the fast pulley when the pistou is raised or lowered from its normal position.

The shaft of the arm h is hung in bearings t', and this shaft bears another arm, l, (see Fig. 4,) to which is pivoted a rod, m, which latter is again pivoted to the cross-head J, and thus assists the rod j in oscillating the shaft to which the stud g and arms 7c, h, and l are affixed. f

The radial valve a is operated by means of a rod, n, pivoted to the arm Z, and to an arm, o, on the shaft of the valve, so that when the piston rises and falls the movement is transmitted, by the rod m, to the arm Z, which latter communicates the motion, through the rod n, to the arm o on the valve-shaft. When the shaft Q is setv in motion it communicates the same to the shaft S by means of gearing S.v

The shaft S bears bevel-pinions S, which engage with the bevel-wheelsTT on the threaded shafts T", which, in being turned, raise the hollow threaded bosses U, which work thereon, 5nd which areconnected with the water-gates )y means of the clutl-rod-vand link p p'. As

swna f i 3 the tlilreaded shafts T" `are revolved the bosses U are kept from turning by means ofthe projections p, which slide in contactwith the standards pf, and, when raised beyond the end of the standards, pass overthein, and by revolving with 'the threaded "shafts cease to raise the gates.. The same result" takes place when these projections descend to the notches q in the standards. The wheelff is not keyed on its shaft, but turns loosely thereon when not coupled to the wiper p, in a manner to be described hereinafter. The wheel T also works loosely on itsfshaft,v` S0 that its respective gatemay notbe opened untilthe opposite one has been fully opened, and the supply of water found insufficient to raise the pressure to the degree for which the apparatus was'adjusted. When suchis the case the boss U, in rising, strikes against a pin, q', projecting down from the wiper q, and lifts the latter, bringing its beveled end in position to impinge against the projecting end of the rod r, which fits loosely withinl the hollow shaft S. The

opposite end of the said rod is thereby protrudedfrom the end of the hollow shaft, and the said protruded endencounters a tripping device, which arrests the loose motion of the wheel T. andcauses it to turn the threaded shaft. This tripping device consists of a small rod, s, having arms t t, one of which is set upon a slotted projection, u, on the hub of thewheel T', and being so set the lower end s of the rod will pass clear of the stud u', which is on the collar u, which latter `is keyed on the threaded shaft. The wheel T may thus bere'volved indefinitely without turning its shaft 5 ,but when the rod r is protruded by ing by a set-screw, q, fitting loosely in any one of the holes c in the wheel T.

In operation theflrst gate orgates are partially open to one or a sufficient number of turbines to supply `Water for domestic and other purposes, which will be, as the pointer o indicates in Fig. 1, about forty pounds per square inch; but should `a fire break out in any part of the town, any properly-authorized person unlocks ahydrant and lets the full discharge of water escape therefrom. The sudden decrease of pressure in the pipes consequent upon the escape of a large volume of water isfelt throughout the entire system of street-mains, and also inthe pipes of the regulator; and this decrease of pressure being also felt in the piston-chamber ,the piston thereof falls to the bottom in a'few seconds, and in so falling shifts the crossed belt P' to the fast pulley,' thus setting the shaft Q in motion, which revolves the threaded shaft T, and the first gate is opened, admitting a greater volume of water to the turbines, and l increasing the speed of the latter. The pointer ohaving moved (as shown in red color) to indicate the prearranged pressure to be maintained for nre-purposes, the pumps are driven to. keep the wafer in the pipes at that pressure, and the valve a being moved to permit the water from the pipe c to pass through the gage-chamber with sufiicient rapidity to maintain the pressure in the piston-chamber at its original degree, (sayten pounds per'squareinch) l the'pumps Vwill then be kept running to keep that is to say, the boss U encountering the pin 'qf just before the projection p passes over the end of the standard 10 and raises the wiper q. The Wiper q, being thus raised, encounters the rod fr, pushing it to protrude its opposite end and trip the rod s, which couples, in the manner before described, the loose wheel T with the fixed collar u, thus setting in motion the threaded shaft, and raising the second gate, as before set forth. A number of streams having been taken from hydrant-s in the vicinity of the lire, the pressure in the mains remains uniform, for if the said pressure be suddenly increased by the sudden shutting-off of all or many of such streams a relief-valve is provided, the operation of which is dependent upon the movement of the pist0n, asanysudden increase of pressure would produce an impulse which would raise the piston, and this act of raising would open the relief-valve and permit the escape of aportion of the water, and readily lower the pressure throughout all the street and other pipes. This valve is shown at V, and is seated in the lower end of a pipe, as B.v The valve is connected by a stem with a piston, V', which fits in a water-chamber, V, which is supplied by a pipe, u, from the pipe Bitself, or one of the adjacent pipes. Theeffective area of the ,piston being greater than the effective area of the valve7 the latter will be always closed by the excess of pressure on the 'piston as long as there is no outlet for the water in the chamber V, but an outlet is provided by acock in the escape-pipe o, leading from the chamber. l

"This cock is operated by an arm, o', to which is pivoted a slotted rod, fv, which latter is pivotcd to the arm 7c, affixed on the same shaft as the arm l, the latter being connected with the piston cross-head J, as before described.

The escape-cock w is arranged to open as the piston rises to its highest point, the rod of being slotted to permit any ordinary movement of the piston without opening the cock, and in so doing reduces the sustaining pressure in the chamber V, and the said pressure falling below the pressure acting downward upon the valve V, the latter'is pressed down, thus permitting a volume of water to escape from the pipe B, and thus relieve it from bursting pressure. The escape-cock again closes when the piston recovers its normal position, and the pressure in the chamber Vl again closes the valve V.

As the pressure in the street-mains-is at one hundred and tifty pounds per square inch during the nre, it is requisite that the same should be reduced automatically when there is no longer need of such pressure, and this lis accomplished through the shifting of one or other of the belts, as may be arranged, for if the straight belt turns the shaft Q in a direction to open the gates. the crossed belt will turn it in the contrary direction, and close the gates; but in the latter case the two gates are both closed simultaneously to contract their combined openings sufficiently for running the pumps at the ordinary slow speed for the daily supply.

The method of reducing the pressure when the tire is over is to rst open a hydrant and close it suddenly. The sudden obstructing of. the pressure will produce an impulse which raises the piston to the top of the cylinder, thus placing the` pointer o back to forty pounds on the dial, and causes the opening of' the cock of the reliefvalve chamber, whereby the relief-valve will open and discharge water until the regulator has partially shut both gates to the required opening, for when the piston was raised the crossed belt was shifted to the fast pulley, and the gates actuated to shut oli a portion of the flow. Again, when a hydrant is opened and left running the sudden decrease of pressure is felt in the piston-chamber, and for a few seconds the piston falls to the bottom, as shown in red color, Fig. l, and in so doing shifts the straight belt to the fast pulley, when the opening of the gates follows. The piston remains at the bottom of the cylinder until the additional pressure is felt, when the piston is raised again; but the valve a now permits a greater passage of water through its chamber, and the pressure supporting the piston .is still ten pounds per square inch.

Should .the many streams of water which had been playing on the fire be successively taken ofi', the increased pressure resulting therefrom will be felt by the piston, and it will rise in obedience to it, and in so doing open the relief-valve V, which will lower the 'pressure, and will also :shift the crossed belt, and through it shut oli' the gates. w fw is a bellcrank lever, which supports a pivoted bellclapper, and when the piston descends a stud on the rod j encounters the bell-crank, and trips it from under the clapper, thus leaving the lower end of the same to be struck by a stud, rv, on' the shaft of the drum N as it revolves.

By this means the attendant is notied that an increase of pressure is taking place. This apparatus requires no skilled attendant, one person of ordinary intelligence being required to inspect it occasionally, as the water may be supplied and regulated through both gates at once, and without employing the tripping-rod r and its accessory devices, this part of the apparatus being only desirable to avoid the constant running of both setsv of turbines. After the said tripping device has been tripped it must be again set by the attendant, who then has no further duties in operating the apparatus. While the pumps are making the ordinary pressure ot' forty pounds, the piston automatically controls and regulates the action of the gates to maintain that pressure, for should the pressure in the pipes fall to thirtynine pounds, the piston falls a short distance, and shifts the crossed belt, which opens the gate until the pressure under the piston rises to the standard pressure of ten pounds. Should the pressure in the pipes rise to forty-one pounds,the piston, in responding to this eX- cess, will shift on the straight belt, which closes the gates until the` pressure falls to forty pounds, at which pressure vboth belts are running on the loose pulleys, and the gate is stationary. In Fig. 4 the pipes C and A are partially broken away to exhibit check-valves to prevent the pressure from reacting against the pumps. The projections p are springs to enable them to pass over the beveled ends of the standards, so as to catch against them when revolved in the opposite direction, thus preventing the standards and projections from losing their relative connection in the operation of raising or lowering the bosses U. The rod a has a slotted eye where it connects with the stud of the arm o of the valve-shaft, so that a slight motion of the piston is admissible without altering the position of the valve a. This is requisite to keep the valve a, from being moved while the piston is responding to slight changes of pressure in maintaining the pressure at forty or one hundred and fifty pounds, or other pressure to which the same is adjusted to operate. The piston-chamber may be variously constructed. The modification shown at Fig. 2 is a diaphragm, H', sup porting the piston-rod. The diaphragm acts in a manner similar to the piston, and is inclosed in a chamber, G. That shown at Fig. 3 is a vibrating piston, H, in a sector-shaped chamber, G, the piston having an arm, Gf, to which the rod j, or its equivalent, may be attached.

I desire to be vunderstood as not limiting myself` to the precise arrangement or construction herein set forth, for the mechanism by which the gates are immediately operated may be variously modified, or completely substituted by other different mechanism, in cornbination with the piston-chamber and piston or diaphragm shown in red. Nor do I desire to be understood as limiting myself' to the form or construction of the valve a and its gate.

chamber M, as that may also be substituted by a cock, or conical or screw valve, or, a

i when the valve a is being adjusted to its proper relation to the piston H with respect to dii'erent pressures in the pipe D.

When starting the apparatus the first gate is hoisted'by means of a hand-wheel on the threaded shaft. The street-mains and other pipes are thereby soon filled with Water. The screw q of the wiper q is then turned down to enter any one of the holes c in the wheel T, whereby the said wheel is coupled to the shaft T, and revolves it, thus controlling the The wiper q is permitted to rise, without turning on the shaft T", by means of a slot and projection device, so that the wiper and its screw may serve as a means of changing the wheel T from a loose to a fast wheel, and also to permit the wiper to rise to a position for actuating the rod r.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The combination of the piston-chamber Gr, piston H, weights L to L", valve a, chamber M, and the pipes c, e, and D, substantially as described, for the purpose specified. i

2. The belts P P', shifter R, gate-operating mechanism S S S T T U T" Q 10 p, substantially as described, in combination with a piston-chamber, G, a piston, H, a valve, a, and a pipe, c, all as set forth.

3. The pipes A B C D, having check-valves and a relief -valve, V, substantially as described, in combination with` a piston-chamber, G, piston H, weights L to L",va1ve a, and belts P P', running on loose and fast pulleys, all as described, for the purpose of operating the gate-raising mechanism, all as set forth.

y 4.. The gateraising mechanism of waterworks, operated by means of a piston-chamber and piston, or its equivalent, the weights L to L', and gage-valve et, operating substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

5. The hydrostatic relief-valve V, constructed and operating substantially as described, in

ycombination with a pipe, B, piston H, andl valve a, for the purpose of making its operation dependent upon the movement of thepiston are dependent upon each other, and

act by the pressure of the water to maintain an equable pressure against the said piston,

all as set forth.

VBIRDSILL HOLLY.

Witnesses:

C. G. HILDRETH, F. E. ROGERS. 

